Maintenance Questions

[andyhallas]

Evening chaps,

Greetings from a flippin' hot Italia

Just like a bad friend, I've not been in touch for ages and now I've got a problem I'm coming knocking on your collective doors!

Did a run back to the UK the other week for an MOT and service but have 2 issues I need to sort.

1. The heater/ventilation fan bearing is at death's door. At low speeds it does nothing and at high speeds does little and emits a toe curling rattle. My mechanic chum says he can get his hand in underneath and feel it but he's not quite sure how it all comes apart. His best guess is that you have to remove the scuttles siliconed on at the base of the windscreen.
Anyone out there had a similar problem and/or know how to get access?

2. On my journey home the passenger electric window stopped working. At first this was an intermittent problem (you'd press, nothing would happen so press harder, there'd be a plasticky click and the window would work). By the end of the drive it wasn't working at all. Guessing it just needs a new switch but has anyone else had the same issue?

All thoughts gratefully received.

Cin cin,

Andy

[Stoertie]

Hi Andy,

1. The heater/ventilation fan bearing is at death's door. At low speeds it does nothing and at high speeds does little and emits a toe curling rattle. My mechanic chum says he can get his hand in underneath and feel it but he's not quite sure how it all comes apart. His best guess is that you have to remove the scuttles siliconed on at the base of the windscreen.
Anyone out there had a similar problem and/or know how to get access?

Are you sure, that the motor is broken? (Any strange noises from the bearings of the motor?) Often only the series resistor is broken, that part is located at the housing of the heating assy behind the cover of the center console in the drivers foot space. Pease check the voltage at the motor first.

It's a little bit complicated to remove the fan motor... you have to take out the siliconed plastic part careful (don't destroy it, it should keep the motor dry when it's raining)
Then I loosen the wiper arm and opend the cover of the fan motor and changed it.

2. On my journey home the passenger electric window stopped working. At first this was an intermittent problem (you'd press, nothing would happen so press harder, there'd be a plasticky click and the window would work). By the end of the drive it wasn't working at all. Guessing it just needs a new switch but has anyone else had the same issue?

Mostly the position of the switch inside the panel is not correct. there are two little plasic parts at the panel where the two (important!) flat springs of the switch are located. These plastic parts break off sometimes. Then the switch is positioned too deep inside the panel and can not work correctly.
For testing just take out the switch and try to openm/close the window without the panel.


Best regards
Michael

[andyhallas]

Cheers Michael - great advice as always.

With the fan it certainly sounds like the bearing is gone and that's what my mechanic mate reckoned too. Will check out the easy option first though!!

[sfh3l]

Andy,

Nice to see you are still enjoying the Z1 and that the Italian weather is suiting you (he said, jealously).

Not sure about how to get to that heater motor as I haven't yet had to do that. However, from what you say I think you are right that it is the motor or bearing. I had the resistor fail on my (E30) M£ and the symptom was that the motor only worked on the fastest speed. The resistor is how the slower speeds are generated, as the motor is switched but the current is passed through the resistor first, hence reduced power. Only on the fastest speed is the current passed direct, and thus if the resistor has failed this is the only speed that works.

Sorry for the pathetic description of the technical side of this (it is a long time since I got my Physics A-level ), but resistors don't make the motors noisy!

On a practical note - with hot weather, a soft top and doors that disappear, why do you need a fan at all